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Posted 11/19/2011 8:30 PM (GMT 0)
My entire life I have had a strange allergy to all raw fruits and veggies.  When I was younger I could eat an apple for example, only if it was peeled.  This allergy became worse as I got older and I could no longer eat peeled apples but only cooked ones.  Some things that are worse than others I could eat only when OVERcooked and now no corn on the cob no matter how cooked it is :(  Last time somebody at the burger shop failed to give me my burger with no lettuce I got big hives on my tongue. That is when I knew that my sensitivity had gotten bad enough to be a danger; most of the time they say this "syndrome" is not dangerous

Anyway, whenever I described this to someone they seemed to think how weird is that, cooked only etc......

Started to wonder if I was some kind of a nut until the current issue of Consumer Reports Health magazine where they describe "Oral Allergic Syndrome" as if everybody knows what it is. 

What a strange wash of emotions I felt reading this.  Finally there is a name of this curse that has taken lettuce out of my burgers, bananas off my cornflakes, strawberries out of my shortcake........

My reason to post this is it is yet another manifestation of autoimmune disorder in my body and I wondered if other crohnies have it????  I doubt it based on posts I have read ie.  I am certain NY Veggie doesn't have this problem so you need not reply lol.

PS.  I am probably nuts, just not about this weird allergy.

Post Edited (FunGuy) : 11/19/2011 1:34:04 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 11/20/2011 1:51 AM (GMT 0)
Hey FunGuy,
I'm more of a lurker than a poster, but, I felt I needed to respond to your post.

Do you suffer from seasonal allergies? There is a relationship between hay-fever/pollen allergies and Oral Allergy Syndrome. My allergist has told me that it is an annoyance, but, in some instances you can take an antihistamine (or two) and may be able to enjoy to fruits and vegetables that you love and enjoy to eat. I have a huge problem with apples, purple or red grapes, cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines. Once thing I have discovered, the fresher the fruit or vegetable, the less of a reaction I have. I've eaten apples fresh picked from the tree and not had a problem! It's a huge pain in the butt to only be able to eat alot of these food when they are cooked.

Here is an informative website to take a look at. And if you can, see an Allergist to find out more about your food allergies.
http://www.oralallergysyndrome.org/

Michelle
Posted 11/20/2011 3:20 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you for leaving the shadows to lend me a cyber-hand. Yes I sure do have seasonal allergies. I wear a mask when I have to mow a lawn. The article I mentioned does make that association also. I do pop a benadryl when I for example eat out but for many things that just doesn't work well anymore. I use it for things that might have a little seeds or nuts etc.

As far as fresh, that doesn't seem to help me. I have my own fruit trees and also grow veggies every year to share with friends and family. Only thing helps is peeling (which only worked when I was a child) and now cooking very thoroughly.

I can't believe there is a website about this. Thanks so much for sharing it. That wave of confused emotion washed over me again. Not sure why this makes me emotional. I do hope to see an allergist in the near future but my understanding is there is nothing to be done for this.

Interesting though how we can eat these things cooked and many CDers can eat fiberous veggies over cooked too. Related? I doubt it but ?????

Don't stay in the shadows too much, you have a nice writing style. Thanks again.
Posted 11/20/2011 4:05 AM (GMT 0)
I have this as well. I also have lots of air borne allergies as well. I am in the process of possibly being diagnosed with crohn. Had a pos Prometheus, some findings in a stool study. I just got another blood test that he said will give me an answer on if I have it. However he gave me meds to start when/if the results come back pos. I also just got results of my food allergy panel of 88 foods. I had. Very low to low on every fruit but blueberries. Apples being the in the low. Which is the one I noticed a few weeks ago was irritating my tongue. I ate one every day for 2 months and related the sore tongue to food allergy as my daughter has geographic tongue and a wheat allergy but she does not like fruit or veggies so not sure if it causes issues for her. My allergy food panel of basic food came back neg. however I started eating wheat free with my daught as my sister has a wheat allergy. So I thought it might help with my intestinal issues. Come to find out I have a high reaction to rice! Which is what we use to replace wheat flour in our cooking. So I am not sure what to expect next. If being off rice will help and it won't be crohns or if my tongue issue us from crohns or if they are all just working together in a circle. No you are not nuts. Sorry to ramble
Posted 11/20/2011 4:21 AM (GMT 0)
I have OAS as well. I did have symptoms pre-IBD, but they've gotten much worse in the past couple years (since my last flare/starting Remicade). I can eat most fresh fruits and veggies if I take a Zyrtec. I'm fine if it's processed or cooked in some way.
Posted 11/20/2011 5:43 AM (GMT 0)
Do you have an epi-pen? If not, you really need to get one. Having a reaction invloving inflammation/hives in your mouth is serious and you need to be concerned about the possibility of anaphylaxis. Get to an allergist for food allergy tests too. Perhaps you can be desnsitized the way they do with other allergies.
Posted 11/20/2011 12:40 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the complement FunGuy, very much appreciated.

Have you considered changing your antihistamine? Over the years I have taken a few different antihistamines, mind you, this is over 30+ years. "Back in the day" I started with single entity Chlor-Triplon, followed by, Hismanal (no longer available in Canada, where I am), Reactin, Benadryl, Claritin, and various generic versions of the previously mentioned. Depending on the time of year, I bounce between Reactin and Benadryl (and have been known to take both in the same day!!)

I would seriously recommend seeing an allergist to have skinprick testing done to re-check your seasonal allergies, being sure to discuss OAS, and RAST testing (blood serum allergy tests). I first discovered that I had OAS when I ate one of my (at the time) favourite snacks - a lovely green Granny Smith apple!! Shortly after the first couple of bites, I wanted to shove my hand down my throat and scratch out the lining, and when I was finished with that, I wanted to rip out my Eustachian Tubes - I swear the darn things were itchy too!!! That same year, I was making cherry pie and snacking on the freshly pitted cherries and had the same reaction.....off to the GP for a referral to an Allergist. At that time, OAS wasn't as 'widely known' as it is now. Fast forward 20+ years, I have also developed SEVERE tree nut allergies (almonds and hazelnuts), so severe, that I carry an EpiPen with me at all times, keep one at home and one in my desk drawer at work.

Enough of my rambling - when possible, see an allergist to determine if those veggies and fruits that are causing you such a reaction is OAS or a true allergic reaction. If it is OAS, there is a way around it - albeit - fresh fruit is much more enjoyable when it isn't cooked to death, if it is a TRUE allergic reaction, the Allergist can advise what the next steps are (avoidance, injection of the allergen in hopes of reducing the reaction over time)..... Here is another site to take a look at as well:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/tipcon/orale.shtml

Michelle

Post Edited (michellew) : 11/20/2011 6:33:33 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 11/20/2011 1:57 PM (GMT 0)
I've seen two allergists, and neither seem concerned about OAS. They just told me it was okay to take an anti-histamine if I wanted to eat fresh fruits and veggies. They also said food allergy testing (at least the skin prick test) was pointless because the form of the food in the test is different from fresh food.
Posted 11/20/2011 2:48 PM (GMT 0)
You are not alone. I believe my daughter has this as well. Started like yours. At first it was apples and she could eat them if the were peeled, then not unless they were cooked. Since the first scary experience we have added so many foods (mostly fruits and nuts) to the list. If she takes Benedryl the symptoms do get better, but she does have an epi-pen if needed since each time she eats an offending food the reaction is worse. She has not seen an allergist just her regular doctor so no "official" diagnosis of OAS. She doesn't have CD, but she is always having tummy trouble, which is how I started my CD journey. I have auto immune issues from both my parents and I know that you inherit the likelihood of getting auto immune diseases, its just a crap shoot as to which ones. Also I believe Dragonfly has this too, it is listed in her signature.
Posted 11/20/2011 5:01 PM (GMT 0)
Wow I am surprised to find so many other OAS friends. I have used regular Coke or other Cola soda to help relieve MILD symptoms or to bridge the time until the Benedryl kicks in. Should be nice and cold. I don't know if it is the bubbles, the sugar, the caffeine, the cold or placebo or all of the above that helps but it really helps me. Been doing that for many decades.

Padme I am similar in that apples was one of the last fruits I could eat fresh but peeled as a young boy. Blueberries weren't too bad either but never a staple in my house. I am very surprised that rice would bother you. That is one that is never eaten raw and for me is the most relaxing unreactive food. Was there something else on the plate? Was it white rice? Are you certain? No offense just amazed and sorry.

Bookworm: Yeah I was OAS before CD also. Could it be related in cases like ours? Perhaps the next supercomputer or Einstein will tell us. I am beyond eating a fruit with an allergy pill. I just use the pill if there is a little bit of nuts or spice or undercooked veggies mixed in with my food when eating out. I don't deliberately eat "bad" food anymore. Too scary and uncomfortable. That article took the same don't worry about it attitude as your allergists but it did say that it can get bad rarely and mine, with some foods, is real scary enough to worry about it. Just gets worse as time goes on.

Keah: I did carry an epi-pen after the hives incident. I have quit now though and try to be very careful what I eat. If the reaction is bad I pop 50 mg of benedryl. That makes me soooo sleepy though. Not a fun date after that lol
I do plan to see an allergist soon. I don't think they can desensitize me though from what I have read, bummer. I would love to grab an apple off one of my trees and just luxuriate in the juicy, crunchy, sweetness of it......

Michelle: The reaction you describe is exactly the same for me and while I didn't mention it tree nuts for me also. I can eat roasted most of them but for ie. walnuts in the brownies will make me feel uncomfortable. The ear itching and the throat is the same. I used to make a nasty hawking noise to try to scratch my throat. My Dad, who is 80 has this also but not as bad as I do. Meat and potatoes and rice and stuff cooked to death is what I live on. I did get scratch tested some years ago for the seasonal allergies. I heard the nurse tell another nurse with amazement that I had reacted to EVERYTHING she scratched me with. I then started the shots for a period of time. One evening I reacted to the injection and they made me stay for a while and gave me benedryl if I recall. Few visits later the nurse (whom I had little confidence in) started to give me an injection and I pulled away from her. Luckily I look when I am injected and I noticed the liquid was dark like dark tea and the syringe was full. I said "That's not my medicine" She was giving me the next level -up concentration at full dose. Since I had had a reaction before that would have really sent me to anaphalaxis. She was aghast at her error and reduced it to the tiny amount it should have been but - That was my last allergy shot. Also got them as a kid by the way.

Zanne: Maybe she can try the Cola like I do until the Benedryl kicks in or even for a mild reaction I use Coke alone. Don't play games though use the strong stuff if you need it. Remember it is not diet or decaf.

Thanks everyone for your stories, feedback and support. Warmly appreciated. Have a great Tnx giving but skip the salad and go for the meat and potatoes :)

Post Edited (FunGuy) : 11/20/2011 10:06:09 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 11/20/2011 7:25 PM (GMT 0)
I had a blood test that checked for about 88 food allergies. That was how I discovered the rice allergy. I was actually on a gluten free diet with my wheat allergic daughter. I was hoping it would help my stomach issues. Well in gluten free things wheat flour is replaced with rice flour (brown or white). And of course I ate a lot of rice in general. They say rice allergy is not common in the states because we eat more wheat grain. But countries where rice is their main grain(Asia). It is more common. So I think the large consumption of it helped increase my reaction to it. So I am back on wheat.
Posted 11/20/2011 9:07 PM (GMT 0)
I have had this for yrs started with apples and carrots but if cooked I am fine. Only true food allergies I have are to nuts esp peanuts and cashews. My asthma flares with it I am able to not have reactions to pineapple, bananas (granted post op bananas make me vomit), citrus honey dew and watermelon the rest I cannot have raw and te ones I can have raw it must be rare due to the CD. It coorelates to pollen counts so when the pollen is high for that type of plant there will be a higher chance of reaction or discovery of a new reaction.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oral_allergy_syndrome
Posted 11/21/2011 2:52 AM (GMT 0)
There are WAY more of us here with CD and OAS than I expected. Interesting don't you folks think so? But since I rarely eat anything I am OAS sensitive to then the relationship, if any, must be indirect.
Posted 11/21/2011 3:09 AM (GMT 0)
Padme did you notice any problem while you were eating the rice? Sounds kinda weird to me as far as OAS. I guess I am just hoping for you since rice is a comfort food for me? goodnight
Posted 11/21/2011 3:40 AM (GMT 0)
Rice does not cause my tongue to have issues just my stomach /indigestion /fatigue/body aches issues. Fruit has been the only thing I notice to cause OAS for me. I am a little bummed to especially since I have just gotten used to all gluten free food. I also love stir frys. It was a nice bond my daughter and I shared. Now we are opposites. But as long as I feel better then it is so worth it. However for the last 2-3 months my tongue has had swollen taste buds and I did realize apples were part of it as my irritation decreased by half. But I still have issues all the time. It seems not to go away. Do you knw about the ulcers and mouth sores that go with crohns? I wonder if it would be from that?
Posted 11/21/2011 12:47 PM (GMT 0)
I haven't experienced crohn's that far up so I can't speak to that. Now I understand what you are saying about the rice. It is a bummer indeed. I hope you get your diet issues worked out. Try not eating anything raw for awhile. Perhaps you are like me and all fruits veggies affect you.

Luck and health
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